Earth and rock auger.



PATENTED NOV. l, 1904.

No. v773,562.

, E. GERRY.

EARTH AND ROCK AUGER. APPLICATION Y'ILED D'E. 11, 1903.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

-,lllllllllll PATENTED Nov. 1

E. GERRY. BARTH AND ROCK AUGER. A'LPPLIOATION FILED DEO.11, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

SSHEETS-SEBBT 2.

mum

PATENTED NOV-1, 1904.

E. GERRY. EARTH AND ROCK AUGER.

AHLIOATION FILED D30.11, 1903.

s sEETs-SHBET a.

NQ MODEL.

there@ STATE-s Patented November i, 1904.

EDSON GERRY, OF VVHATCOM, WASHINGTON.

EARTH AND BooK AUSER.

SPECIFICATIO forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,562, dated November 1, 1904.

,v Application Sled December 1l, 1903. Serial No. 184,800. kNo model.)

To @Mft-71,0111, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDsoN GERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVhatc-om, in the county of Whatcom and State of l/Vashington, have invented a new and useful Earth and Rock Auger, ofy which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to earth and rock augers.

The object of the presentinvention is to imn prove the construction ot' earth and rock augers and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eicient one designed especially for prospecting mining-ground and adapted to collect the boi-ings automatically and capable ot' permitting the same to be readily raised to the surface of the ground and removed without necessitating the removal of the auger,

A further object ot' the invention is to provide an auger of this character inwhich a continuous alarm will be automatically sounded when the receptacle containing the borings is filled and which will permit the borings to be readily removed from the receptacle after the same has been lifted from the drill-Y tube of the auger.

YVith these and other objectsl in viewl the invention consistsrin the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the forni, proV portion,l size, and minor details ot' construction within the scope or' the claims may he resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriicing any ot' the advantages ot' the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is aside elevation, partly in section, of an auger or drill constructed in 'accordance with this invention. Fig. Q is an enlarged sectional View of the lower portion ofthe zuiger, the removable receptacle for the borings being illustrated in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the receptacle for the borings, the lower removable cup or-menibcr being in section and the upper cup or member beingin elevation. Fig. 4. is an enlarged sectional new of the upper removable cup or member.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views ot the lower removable cup or member, illustrating the construction of the automatically-opening valves and showing the same both closed and open. Fig. 7 is a plan View. partly in section, illustrating the construction of the liorizontal gear for actuating the drill-tube. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View illustrating another construction fr securing the lower cup or member of the receptacle in position. Fig. 9 is a detail View ot' one of the detachable blades. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the upper portion of the auger, illustrating the construction for controlling the feed. Fig. l1 is a vertical sectional View of the same.

Fig. 12 is'a detail view of the rocleboring drill-point. Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

IdeS'ignates a drill-tube, which may be of any desired, diameter and length and which is designed to be constructed in the'usual manner/of sections and to be increased in lengthy The lower end 2 of the is adapted to receivea series of antifrictionhalls 6, which are interposed between the said shoulder and the lowenend of the drill-tube, as shown. The shoulder 5. and the lower end of the drill-tube aregrooved to provide a bali-rae, and the space between the parts at the outer .tace ot' the drill-tube is less than the diameter or' the balls, whereby the latter' are retained in the ballaacc. The balls are adapted to engage the lower ends of a well-casing 7 to facilitate the operation ot' the auger when it is desired to leave a well-casing in thev hole and when such well-easing'is fed downwardly with the auger.

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5 These antifriction-balls are adapted to prevent the well-easing' from retarding the drilltube by bindin', 1,r against the same.

The drill-point 4 is preferably tapered or conical, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, withone 1o 0r more sections or portions cut awayto form l.

vupright edges, to which blades 8 are prcfer ably secured. These blades are detachable and are adapted to be removedwhen worn for sharpening and also for permitting sharp i 5 blades to be substituted for them. lhe shape of the auger and the amount of cutting edge presented may be changed to adapt it to the character of the land to be bored.

The drill-tube is connected with 'a corru- :o gated section 10, prov' ed at its lower end with a threaded collar 1to enable it to be coupled to the upper end of the ordinary drilltube section. The corrugated section 10 is adapted to slide through an opening 12 of a z5 horizontal gear-Wheel 13, meshing with a bevel-pinion 14 of a horizontal shaft 15, which may be operated by hand, horse-power, electricity, or any other motive power. 'lhe centrai opening 12 of the horizontal gear 13 is 3o provided with notches to conform to the configuration of the corrugated section or member 10, which is slidably interlocked with the wheel or gear-13 and which rotates when the latter is actuated. The feed of the auger is 3 5 regulated by a screw which engages the corrugated section, as hereinafter explained. The horizontal drill-tube-actuating gear is supported upon a suitable framework 16, and the corrugated tube is of a sufficient length to 4o'enable it to be readily elevated above the uppermost section of the drill-tube in the hole to permit another section to be applied to the same. The drilling apparatus may be constructed of an'y desired size to adapt it for drilling deep wells and also for enabling it to be conveniently carried by prospectors. The drill-point may be constructed of any suitable. material, such electrilied carbonated steel. .The augersheadv is ,preferably constructed of common steel, andthe drill-tube and casing preferably consist of lthe ordinary iron-pipe sections usually employed for such worlt.

In order to enable the character of the land and the minerals, ore, rocks, and the .like to 5 be readil r ascertained the auger is )rovided with a removable receptacle 1T, consisting, preferably, of a sheet-metal cylinder and upper and lower cups or members 18 and 19. The lower cup or member, which is preferably constructed of sheet metal. is detachably mately triangular sections connected by hinges 21 to a rigid horizontal section or por tion 22 of the bottom of the cup or member, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The tapering sections of the valve 20 are arranged in the same plane as the rigid and the said sections form a horizontal bottom for the cup or member 1). rl`he triangular valve-sections are maintained in a closed position by gravity, and they arc adapted to be automatically opened by the brn'ings which are forced upward through ther bottom of the receptacle as the drill or auger moves downl ward through the soil, rocks, or other ninterial operated on by the same. The lower sew tion or member, which is readily detachable. may be secured within "the receptacle by any suitable means, such as lugs or projections 23 and catches 24. The lugs or projections ex tend inward from the sides of the receptacle, and the catches 24 preferably onsistv of upwardly extending hooks for engaging the liigs or projections; but screw'threads 25 may be employed for connecting the parts, as shown in Fig. 8, or any other means may be provided for effecting this result:

As the drill or auger penetrates the soil, rock, or other material the borings pass upward and force their way through the lower c nd of the receptacle, which is thereby filled until the contents come in contact with an electric button 26, adapted to close a circuit of an electric bell 2T, located within the upper cup or member of the receptacle. The upper cup or member of the receptacle contains suitable lmtteries 28, and when the button is forced upward it will carry a resilient contact plate or spring 2) into Contact with a suitable contact-point 3U, thereby closing the circuitand sounding the bell. ',lhe alarm thus sounded will be continuous until theI receptacle is removed from the drill-tube or a space formed between' the borings and the button 26. By this construction the operator may readily ascertain when the receptacle is full. ln boring any great depth through material liable to drown the sound of the bell the` condition of the receptacle may be readily aseer tained by stopping the drill and applying an ear to the tube. l

The upper cup or member may be secured in the upper end of the receptacle by any suitable means, and it is removable therefrom to enable an instrumem to be employed for forcing the contents of the receptacle out of the same should such contents be of a clayey nature and not fall readily from the receptacle when the lower cup or member is removed. 'lhe upper end of the receptacle is provided with a bail or handle Si, and the terminals thereof may be advantageously employed for locking the upper cup or member in engagement with lugs or projections 32 of the recepi tacle, as illustrated in Fig. I3 of the drawings; i but any other meansmay be employed for this section or portion 22 when the valve is closed,.

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purpose. The bail or handle is connected with one end ot' a rope or cable 33, extending upward tl'irough thedrill-tube and designed to he arranged on ialpulley to enable the re.- ceptacle to be readily raised. is supported within the drill -tube with its lower end a short distance above the drill-head, so that the latter' will not in any manner interfere with the operation of the upwardlyopening valves.

liVhen'the ap paratus'is employed. for boring into roclis,j a drill-point 34 is employed. This drill-point,which is provided with `a threaded shank 35 to' screw into the drill-head 3, has an annular series of cutters 36, provided with cutting edges and adapted when drilling into roch to .cut a core, which is afterward reduced to borings and fed upward through the drilltube, whereby the said borings are adapted to be removed withoutremoving theauger. '.lhe cutters 36 are arranged at theperiphery ot' the drill-point 34, which is also provided with a cent1-ai approximately conical cutter 36, having a detachable cutting-blade and formed integral with the drill-point 34, as clearly shown in Fig. 13; but the central cutter may be constructed in any other desired manner and may he provided with a threaded shank to screw into the drill-point. The peripheral cutters, which are also provided with detachable blades, extend beyond the central cutter and cut a core, which is then operated on by the central cutter and reduced to boi-ings by the same. The borings pass upward into the receptacle 17, as before explained. Theblades are adapted to be removed to sharl'ieirthem or for applying' new blades to the drill-point.

1n Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings is illustrated the construction for feeding the auger, which is etl'ected by a screw 37. The feedscrew 37 is supported by a fra-me 38, which is mounted upon the horizontal gear 13 and which may be'constructed in any desired manner, as will be readily understood. The upper end ot' the feed-screw is swiveled to the top of the frame and is provided with a handwheel 39, by means of which it is rotated; but any other suitablemeans may be employed .for rotating the screw to feed the auger The screw engages the corrugated sectiomwhich is provided at its upper end with interior screw-threads 40, that may be formed in any desired manner. The upright frame38 rotates with the horizontai gearand the rotation ot' the feed-screw will move the corrugated section upward and downward, as will be readily understood. which is connected with the receptacle passes through `the top of the feed-screw and extends down to the base of the frame 38, where it is secured by means ot' a cleat 41 or other suitable means. The wire rope or cable is composed of a series oi' sections provided with couplings 42, and when a section of the drilltube is attached to the corrugated section 'a The receptacle.

The wire rope or cable;

section ot' the wire rope or fable is applied to increase the length of the cable and to obvlale thcnecessitvof withdrawiiigI or removingl the outer portion ot' the rope or cable from The upper or outer secthe ad justing-screw.

tion ofthe wire rope or cable is providedg with a swiveled joint to `prevent the operation rugatedscction is nncoupled and hoisted by ot' the adjusting-Soren' from twisting the rope I rotating theadjusting-screw and another secv tion of the drill-tube is applied. ln practice the feed-screw may be constructed of suiiicient diameter to permit the removal of the receptacle through it; but the receptacle may be readily removed by uncoupling the corrugated section.

What] claim is `1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a drill-tuhe,'a drill-head secured to the drill-tube and having a shoulder spaced from the lower end of the same and forming with the lower end of the drill-tube a ball-race, a series of antifriction-balls arranged in the ball-race and projecting hori- 'zontally beyond the drill-tube and the 'drillhead and adapted to engage a well-casing, and a drill carried by the (.lrill-head, substantially as described.

Q. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination ot' a drill-tube, a drill-head having a reduced Lipper portioniitted in and secured to the drill-tube,`the lower portion ot' the drill-head beingI spaced from thc ylower end of the drill-tube to form a ball-race, and a. series of antifriction-balls arranged in the ball-race and projecting horizontally beyond the drill-tubeland the drill-head and adapted IOO IOS

to engage aiwell-casing, substantially as dcscribed.

3. ln an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a drill-tube, a drill-point, a corrugated section detachably connected with the drill-tube, and operating mechanism having a rotary element provided with a central opening conforming to the configuration of and receiving the corrugated section, substantially as described. y

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a drill-tube, of a removable receptacle arranged within the drill-tube to receive the borings and provided with a iixed horizontal bottom section and having' an inwardly-opening automaticallyclosing valve consisting of a plurality of tapering sections hinged to the said section' and arranged in the same horizontal plane as the said iiXed section when the valve is closed, and means for removing the receptacle, Substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with adrill-tube, of a removable receptacle arranged'within the drill-tube to IIO receive the borings and provided with upper and lower detachable members, -the lower member carrying an inwardly-opening valve and the upper member being provided with an alarm, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a drill-tube, of a removable receptacle arranged within the drill-tube and provided with detachable upper andlower cups -or members, the lower cup or member being provided with a valve and the upper cup or member having an electric bell and provided with a depending button arranged to be engaged by the borings for sounding a continuous alarm, substantially as described.

7'. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a drill-tube having a corrugated section, a drill-point, operating mechanism having a rotary element engaging the corrugated section of the drill-tube, and a feed-screw connected with the corrugated section, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus ofthe class described, the combination of a drill-tube, a corrugated section coupled to the drill-tube, operating mechanism having a horizontal gear engaging the corrugated section, a feed-screw for moving the corrugated section longitudinally, and means mounted on the gear-wheel for supporting the feed-screw, substantially as described.

9. ln an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a drill-tube, a corrugated section coupled to the same, a horizontal gear engaging the corrugated section, a frame mounted on the horizontal gear, and a feedvvazsee U screw swiveled to the frame and supported by 'the same and engaging the coru, gated section, substantially asilescribcd.

l0. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a drill-tube, a corrugated section coupled to the same, a horizontal gear engaging the corrugated section, a irame mounted on and carried by the rear., a feedscrew supported by the frame and engaging the corrugated section, a receptacle located within the drill-tube, and a iiexibie connection secured to the receptacle and passing through the drill-tube, the corri gated section and the adjusting-screw, substantially as described.

1l. In an appar us of the class described, the combination of a drill-tube.l a corrugated section coupled to the same, a herir/.untel gear engaging the corrugated section, a frame mounted on and carried by the Iir, a feedscrew supported by thc frame and engaging the corrugated section, a receptacle located within the drill-tube, and a flexible connection secured to the receptacle and extending through the drill-tube, the corrugated section and the adjusting-screw and comprised of sections and having a'swiveled joint, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the iiregoing as 4my own lhave hereto ailixcd my giniture in the presence ot' two witnesses.

EDSON GERRY. YWitnesses:

A. H. WRIGHT, M. G. WRIGHT. 

